Weiser cheerleaders sweep first competition

Once again, Weiser cheerleaders have proven that Weiser spirit and talent is among the best, earning first place in the 3A division at the Treasure Valley Cheer Invitational at Rocky Mountain High School on Feb. 9 and the District 3 Cheer Championship in the 3A division on Feb. 23 at Meridian High School. 

 The first competition, TVCI served to be a  preview for District Cheer with Weiser sweeping the three main events: Sideline Cheer, Show Cheer, and Pom Routine. Fruitland also competed at TVCI, with Homedale and Parma joining the competition for District.  Weiser continued to dominate with the added competition. 

 Coach Jennifer Weldon was thrilled the team was able to come out on top once again. 

 “In many ways this is the hardest stunt sequence I have ever put on the mat. These girls are incredibly talented,” Weldon said. 

 The judges were impressed with Weiser’s talent. At TVCI, Weiser not only scored the highest in the 3A division, but at the end of the day, Weiser was the runner-up for the grand champion, scoring only eight points behind Bonneville, a 4A co-ed team from Idaho Falls. 

 The Wolverines were the top all girl squad and the best squad from the Treasure Valley, even compared to the top 5A teams, Centennial, Eagle, and Rocky Mountain. 

 While Weiser has been consistent in the 3A division, winning Districts for 11 years in a row, it is also a phenomenal accomplishment for this squad to score better than all the other schools from the Treasure Valley. 

 Coaches Jennifer Weldon and assistant coach, Nicole Ramirez both expressed that they could not be more thrilled.

 “All I ask of the girls is that they give me everything they’ve got and leave it all on the mat. There is no doubt that they did just that,” Weldon said. 

 While the cheerleaders began their season in August with cheer camp, and have been busy cheering on the other Weiser High School teams all year, the Treasure Valley Cheer Invitational is the beginning of the competitive season for the cheerleaders. 

 The first competition is crucial for the cheerleaders to get an idea of how to prepare for the District III competition. Since the cheerleaders practice daily on a small floor, the TVCI competition is essential as this is their first opportunity to put everything on the full mats for a crowd. Not only did they prove to be among the best at the first competition, they came back two weeks later and put on a nearly flawless show. 

 Weldon said that the feedback they received from the judges from both will prove invaluable as they prepare for state. They received top marks for jumps and difficulty and will be working on getting their timing and stability perfect for their stunting. They need to remember to be confident and bring that fun energy to the floor for the entire competition. They may even look at making a few changes to make a couple of the routines stand out even more.  Assistant coach Nicole Ramirez has no doubts they will continue to succeed at the next step.

 “These girls work hard and strive to succeed. I have complete confidence in them continuing to work hard and competing at their best at state,”  Ramirez said. 

 Fruitland also qualified for state in three events: Co-ed Stunt, All-Girl Show cheer, and Pom routine. At state, Weiser will once again compete against this familiar local rival, but also face off against the other top squads including, Shelly, American Falls, and last year’s state champions Sugar Salem.